State Board member adamant charter schools follow rules

At least one member of the State Board of Education is adamant that charter schools not get away with breaking application rules created by the board.

"Why did we even make the rules if we're not going to enforce them?" asked board member Teresa Theurer, of Logan.

Theurer spoke out during a recent discussion as the board considered charter school applications for establishment or enrollment expansion for the 2010-2011 school year. The recommendations come from the State Charter School Board.

Summit Academy, a K-9 charter school in Draper, is requesting to add grades 10 through 12 and increase enrollment by 900 students. Board members voiced concern that Summit officials didn't give Jordan School District adequate notice of the proposed change, as is required.

"If they didn't give the notice they were supposed to, why are we even dealing with this?" Theurer said.

Theurer told the Deseret News it is important for school districts to know what is coming down the pipe with charter schools in their area. "This is so districts can plan for their future," she said.

School Board President Richard Sadler suggested the State Charter School Board look into the matter and make a recommendation next month.

Theurer said she didn't like that idea. "I want the charter board to know if they didn't follow our procedure, we don't want to see it (the request) again," she said.

Theurer said the board has spent countless hours developing the application process for charter schools. "Do we let them decide which of our rules they want to do and which they do not?" she said. "I'm personally not supportive of that. It's our rule."

The board voted to send the Summit item back to the State Charter Board.

"There was some confusion on the part of Summit Academy," said State Charter School Director Marlies Burns. She said Summit officials were at first requesting a satellite school and then switched to requesting an enrollment expansion.

When contacted by the Deseret News after the meeting, Summit executive director Steve Crandall declined to comment.

In other business, the board approved the following requests for expansion:

• American Leadership Academy, a K-12 charter school in Spanish Fork, to increase by 300 students.

• George Washington Academy, a K-8 charter school in St. George, to increase by 75 students.